A way to engage a sports fan in a long debate is to ask them who is the best to ever do it. When we talk about who is the best boxer of all time, there are a lot of different opinions. Selective by weight division helps to choose the best, but when looking for the best pound-for-pound boxers, many criteria influence people’s decisions.
Below, we use a set of criteria to determine who the 10 best boxers ever are, not settling any debate, but encouraging more.
Criteria for rankings
To be able to rank the fighters, we established the following criteria. The best boxers in history have been ranked based on their:
- Performance and achievements
- Influence on the game
- Consistency and longevity
- Awards and recognitions
With so many greats who have graced the boxing ring, the list is missing some people. However, here is our list of the best boxers in history.
Top 10 Best Boxers Ever
10. Sugar Ray Leonard
Record: 36–3–1 (25 KOs)
Sugar Ray Leonard starts our list with his insanely fast fists, razor-sharp reflexes and great footwork. He won world titles in five weight classes as well as the undisputed welterweight championship. He beat legends like Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, and Marvin Hagler in their primes and was the standout boxer of the 1980s.
9. Roberto Duran
Record: 103–16 (70 KOs)
Roberto Duran had a career spanning over five decades. In that time, Duran reigned as undisputed lightweight champion and won titles across four weight classes. His ferocious power and pressure earned him the nickname ‘Manos de Piedra’, which translates to ‘Hands of Stone’. Duran had over 100 victories, cementing his legacy as one of the best ever.
8. Rocky Marciano
Record: 49–0 (43 KOs)
The only heavyweight champion to retire undefeated, Rocky Marciano, had a relentless style that saw him be the only fighter to have stopped every opponent he ever faced for the world heavyweight title. Marciano was said to have a punch that packed more explosive energy than an armour-piercing bullet in Boxing Illustrated in 1963, which explains the knockout rate even more.
7. Henry Armstrong
Record: 151–21–9 (101 KOs)
Henry Armstrong had a very impressive 1937, where he went 27-0 with 26 knockouts. Armstrong was a whirlwind of nonstop pressure with insane stamina that saw him hold world championships in three divisions (featherweight, lightweight and welterweight) simultaneously, the only fighter to ever do this. Another fighter with over 100 victories, actually getting 151.
6. Manny Pacquiao
Record: 62–8–2 (39 KOs)
Manny Pacquiao is the only eight-division world champion in the history of boxing, earning him a spot on the coveted list. Blazing hand speed, explosive power, and non-stop footwork overwhelmed Pacquiao’s opponents, making the man from the Philippines one of the best to ever do it. He held world championships over four decades and was the oldest welterweight champion in boxing history at the age of 40.
5. Mike Tyson
Record: 50–6 (44 KOs)
The scariest man to ever be in a wrestling ring? It just might be Mike Tyson. He was an absolute phenom and became the youngest heavyweight champion ever at just 20 years old. His peek-a-boo style and head movement made him hard to hit early in his career, and then, combined with his incredible punching power, made Tyson a deadly boxer. An exciting watch and a cultural icon.
4. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Record: 50–0 (27 KOs)
The boxer with the most flawless defence ever is Floyd Mayweather Jr. Mayweather was one of the biggest boxers of the 21st Century, retiring with an undefeated record of 50-0, winning 15 major world championships spanning five weight classes. He adapted to any style, from pressure fighters to slick boxers, beating them with amazing accuracy and a destructive counterpunching. He divided personal opinions, but whether you loved or hated him, he mastered the art of winning.
3. Joe Louis
Record: 66–3 (52 KOs)
Nicknamed ‘the Brown Bomber’, Joe Lewis was the longest-reigning heavyweight champion, a cultural icon and a wartime hero. He won a record 25 consecutive title defences with vicious punches that floored his opponents. Outside of boxing, Lewis was a huge star, seen by beating his German opponent Max Schmeling in 1938 during the time of the Nazi’s rise. He is regarded as the first African-American to be elevated to the status of nationwide hero, and his legacy lives on.
2. Sugar Ray Robinson
Record: 174–19–6 (109 KOs)
The inspiration for the term ‘pound for pound’, Sugar Ray Robinson, was an amazing fighter who had a run of 126 straight victories because he was the total package in boxing. Robinson won over 174 matches and is regarded by many as the greatest of all time, even by the man at number one.
1. Muhammad Ali
Record: 56–5 (37 KOs)
The legend that is Muhammad Ali takes the top spot in this list. He mixed unmatched speed and agility with heavyweight power to "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” Ali was a showman who used his provocative and outlandish persona to create an icon whose legacy lives because of the combination of his boxing and talking. Ali fought historic fights with Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier and George Foreman, and can legitimately be called the greatest boxer of all time.
Controversies, debates and reflections on the evolution of the sport
Several names could have been on this list. Honourable mentions go out to Harry Greb, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Willie Pep and Ezzard Charles, who are just a few names to miss out.
Boxing remains one of the most popular sports in the world, with many fighters being top draws in several weight divisions. There are many names now who can make their way onto this list in the years to come. Huge champions like Canelo Alvarez, Oleksandr Usyk, Terrance Crawford and Naoya Inoue are current stars who are must-watch.
Whilst the state of amateur boxing is very much in disrepute, only just being included in the Olympics after problems with the International Boxing Association (IBA) over governance, finance, refereeing and ethical issues, professional boxing is thriving.